This lens is exactly the same as its successor optically ...
The S.C is optically
similar to the New Nikkor (K) version, but the design has been tweaked with different lens curvature, spacing and possibly glass material. The change may be to improve close range performance since the New Nikkor focuses closer (0.5m) than its predecessors (0.6m)
This change follows an earlier improvement to the optics, probably occurring when the early 9xxxxx serial numbers switched to the new series starting at 184711. Overall the lenses are similar but again, the lens curvature and spacing was changed.